Risks and limits of Stress Training

Stress training – deliberate exposure to stressors to build resilience – carries risks such as overtraining, chronic stress, sleep disruption, and increased injury susceptibility if recovery is inadequate. Its limits lie in high individual variability: genetics, microbiome, hormonal status, and psychological history all modulate tolerance. Without medical supervision and objective biomarkers (e.g., cortisol diurnal profile, heart rate variability), stress training can backfire. Evidence is mostly practice-based; rigorous long-term trials are scarce. Consumer DNA tests (e.g., for COMT or BDNF) offer only weak hints, not dosing guidance. Conclusion: stress training is not a one-size-fits-all – individual adaptation and medical clearance are essential.